Collapsible case or container



Sept. 7, 1965 R. MIOCQUE COLLAPSIBLE CASE 0R CONTAINER Filed June 11,1965 INVENTOR Roam'r MIOCQLIE' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,204,802COLLAPIBLE CASE OR CONTAINER Robert Miocque, 14 Rue Rnlfet, Paris,France Filed June '11, 1963, 'Ser. No. 287,036 2 Claims. (Cl. 217-12)This invention is concerned with a collapsible case or container ofwhich the different side-forming panels are adapted-to interlock uponcompletion of the assembly operation, the case thus obtained being rigidby construction and assembly, without using any nails, screws or otherfastening members, and its lid is fitted or removed by the outwardpivotal movement, normally prevented, of at least the upper portion ofone of a pair of registering vertical panels disposed face to face whichare adapted to lock said lid in its closed position.

To this end, the case according to this invention is characterized inthat each panel is provided along two opposite edges with reinforcingbars or strips, the dimensions of said panels and the position of saidbars being such that in the assembled condition these bars lie on theinner face of each panel, beyond the aforesaid two registering panels onwhich said panel bears; thus, any inward movement of each panel isprevented by the edges of said registering panels on which said panel iscaused to bear, any outward movement being also prevented by the bars ofthe other pair of registering panels co-acting therewith, whilst anysliding movement is prevented in the longitudinal direction by itsreinforcing bars which are locked in position by the pair of registeringpanels on which it bears, and in the transverse direction by the otherpair of registering panels of which the bars prevent its inwardmovement.

Therefore, the transverse dimensions of each rectangular panel (in thedirection of said bars) is one of the inner dimensions of the case orcontainer to be constructed, and the longitudinal dimension of thisrectangular panel (in a direction at right angles to said bars) betweenthe inner faces of said bars, is that of another internal dimension ofthe case or container to be constructed, plus twice the thickness ofsaid panels.

To permit the disassembling and re-assembling of a case thusconstructed, means are provided whereby at least one of the two panelsdisposed at right angles to the bars of the lid-forming panel can pivotslightly outwards, at least at its end adjacent to said lid-formingpanel, whereby the relevant edge of said lid may be inserted, or removedfrom, beneath the reinforcing bar of said pivoting end of said panel andmay subsequently resume its initial position after the lid has beenfitted in position, thereby locking the lid in its closed position, whenthe lid is inserted with a view to close the case.

To this end, the inner faces of the reinforcing bars holding the panelconcerned in position may be formed on their portions adjacent to saidlid with bevelled faces permitting, if this panel has a certainelasticity, the temporary bending of this panel to an extent sufficientfor the bent panel to engage, or permit the removal from, the undersideof the reinforcing bar, the corresponding side of the lid-forming panel,and therefore to fit or remove the lid, this panel subsequently resumingits initial position automatically.

It is a further object of this invention to provide differentarrangements having the purpose of maintaining the different panels inthe desired position for filling the case before they are definitely andpositively locked in position by fitting the lid thereon.

Various forms of embodiment of this invention are described hereinafterwith reference to the attached drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a first form of embodiment of acollapsible case or container constructed according to the teachings ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the same case;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the locking and unlocking operation;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing a different form of embodiment ofthis invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a detail on a largerscale.

The case illustrated in FIG. 1 is of cubic configuration and consists ofsix similar panels, i.e. a first panel 1 constituting the bottom, sidepanels 2 and 4, end panels 3 and 5 and a lid-forming panel 6. Each panel1 to 6 carries on one face, adjacent to a pair of opposite edges,reinforcing bars or strips 7, 8 which, when the case is assembled, arein face to face relationship. All the reinforcing bars have a bevelledor tapered end face or portion 9 on their inner side.

Each panel, for instance panel 6, bears on a pair of panels 2, 4 and itsreinforcing bars 7, 8 prevent any outward displacement of said panels 2and 4. On the other hand, any inward displacement of panel 6 isprevented by the bars 8 of the other two panels 3, 5 co-actingtherewith; furthermore, any sliding movement is prevented in onedirection by its reinforcing bars abutting against the panels 2 and 4,and in the other direction by the panels 3 and 5.

To engage or release the panel 6 assumed to act as a lid the upperportion of panels 3 and 5 is pivoted outwardly so as to move thereinforcing bars 8 of these panels away from panel 6 to an extentsufficient to permit the removal of this panel, as shown in FIG. 3; thispivotal movement is permitted by the bevelled or tapered portions 9provided at the upper portion of the reinforcing bars 7, 8 of panels 2and 4.

To produce this pivotal movement slots or like indentations 10 may beformed in the longitudinal edges of each panel to permit the insertion,into the slot o like indentation 10 of lid 6, of the operative end of ascrewdriver or other suitable tool 11 acting as a lever bearing on oneside against the inner edge of said slot 10 and on the other side on thereinforcing bar 8 of panel 3 so as to deflect this panel.

The end of each reinforcing ba 7, 8 opposite to the end formed with abevelled portion 9 may also comprise another tapered or bevelled portion12, but considerably less accentuated, with a view to impart moreelasticity to the case.

The bars 7, 8 of the various panels comprise on their side opposite tosaid bevelled portions 9 extensions 13 projecting downwardly beyond thepanel 1 and serving the purpose of assisting in holding the panels 3 and5 in vertical position before fitting the lid 6 and permitting thefilling of the case.

The case illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings comprisescomplementary means for holding the vertical panels 2 to 5 in positionbefore fitting the lid; they consist of studs 14 carried externally ofpanels 3 and 5; these studs 14 register with the outer faces of bars 7,8 of panels 2, 4 and engage recesses 15 formed in these outer faces ofthe reinforcing bars. Preferably, these studs are secured in externalreinforcing strips 16, 17 of panels 3, 5.

Of course, all the panels constituting this case may have the samedesign so that any one may be used as a lid, and if desired all thepanels may have exactly the same dimensions so that a cubic case isobtained.

Whatever the form of embodiment contemplated, the accidental opening ofthe case may be prevented by any suitable device counteracting thepivotal movement of any or all panels by inhibiting the possibilitiesafforded Patented Sept. 7, 1965' 3 by the presence of the bevelledportions 9. In this respect, many solutions may be contemplated by anybody skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible container comprising a bottom panel,

a lid-forming panel; two side panels and two end panels, each panelbeing of flexible material and provided on its inner face withreinforcing bars adjacent to two opposite edges of the panel, thereinforcing bars of the said bottom panel and lid panel overlying andengaging the outer surfaces of the side panels adjacent itsnonreinforced edges, the reinforcing bars of said side panels overlyingand engaging the outer surfaces of the end panels adjacent itsnon-reinforced edges and the reinforcing bars of the end panelsoverlying and engaging the outer surfaces of the bottom and lid panelsadjacent its non-reinforced edges, said reinforcing bars on said sidepanels having the inner faces of the overlying portions thereof inclinedupwardly and outwardly whereby the upper portions of the end walls maybe flexed outwardly to permit the reinforcing bars overlying the lidpanel to clea the non-reinforced edges of the lid panel to remove saidlid panel.

2. A collapsible container as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidreinforcing bars of the panels are provided with extensions at theirlower portions opposite the inclined portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 786,858 4/05Thomas 21712 1,309,341 7/19 Ritter 217-43 2,515,084 7/50 Harris 217-432,710,703 6/55 Kephart 217-12 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner-

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM PANEL, A LID-FORMINGPANEL, TWO SIDE PANELS AND TWO END PANELS EACH PANEL BEING OF FLEXIBLEMATERIAL AND PROVIDED ON ITS INNER FACE WITH REINFORCING BARS ADJACENTTO TWO OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE PANEL, THE REINFORCING BARS OF THE SAIDBOTTOM PANEL AND LID PANEL OVERLYING AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES OFTHE SIDE PANELS ADJACENT ITS NONREINFORCED EDGES, THE REINFORCING BARSOF SAID SIDE PANELS OVERLYING AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE ENDPANELS ADJACENT ITS NON-REINFORCED EDGES AND THE REINFORCING BARS OF THEEND PANELS OVERLYING AND ENGAGING